XOYO launches; FACT host party with Loefah, Ikonika, Lone and Pariah

Written by FACT Team on Tuesday, August 10

September 15 is the launch date for new London events space XOYO.

Located minutes from Old Street tube station, XOYO will play host to clubnights, gigs and other special events. It has a capacity of 800 and is spread across two floors; the main room is a high-ceiling basement housing three bars, mobile staging and a D&B soundsystem, while the similarly spacious ground floor also boasts an outdoor smoking terrace.

XOYO is a joint venture between Cymon Eckel (founder of the legendary Boys Own fanzine, clubnight and label), The Vinyl Factory (the parent company of FACT and Phonica Records), Bugged Out!’s Johnno Burgess, Marcus Weedon (the brains behind Field Day and the Underage Festival) and Eat Your Own Ears’ Tom Baker.

Bugged Out!, Neon Noise Project, Upset The Rhythm and Durrr are among the promoters who’ll be throwing parties at XOYO, and there are a number of one-off events already scheduled, including Urban Nerds’ Halloween bash, Rockfeedback’s 10th anniversary and a Digital Soundboy showcase.

But needless to say the night we’re most looking forward to is our own FACT party. On Friday, October 1 we’ll be playing host to some of our favourite acts around, Loefah, Ikonika, Lone and Pariah. Need introductions? Look no further:

Loefah is one of dubstep’s original greats. A pioneer of the sound in its spacious, atmospheric heyday, he co-ran the DMZ label and clubnights with Digital Mystikz and is responsible for some of the genre’s best ever tracks in the likes of ‘Mud’ and ‘Midnight’. As a DJ and label owner he’s found a new lease of life over the last year, pushing dark, stripped-down drum machine music from the likes of Addison Groove, Ramadanman and Instra:mental on his Swamp81 label. He’s responsible for bringing out some of the biggest tracks of the year in ‘Footcrab’ and ‘Work Them’, and his set at XOYO will no doubt be packed with future Swamp material that only he possesses.

Ikonikahas gone from being one of UK dance music’s most promising artists to a fully realised force – releasing a blinding debut album this year in Contact, Love, Want, Have, and honing her DJ sets to a level way beyond most of her peers. A regular artist for Hyperdub and Planet Mu, she’s developed an inimitable deep red, synth-led sound of her own, and seems to get better with every release. Her sets pair her own productions with the best grime, house, juke and R’n’B, and are some of the best around.

Lonemade waves in 2009 with his second album, Ecstasy and Friends on Actress’s Werk Discs label, and has built on that this year with ‘Once in a While’, his all-conquering, Detroit-leaning symphony that’s a favourite of Kode9, Sinden and more. He’s also found time to start his own label, Magic Wire, with the incredible sunblind rave of ‘Angel Brain’ as the first single and a mini-album forthcoming. He’ll be playing a rare live set of upfront Lone material which is not to be missed.

Finally, Pariahis the latest signing to legendary electronic label R&S, and has one of the best releases of the year dropping this month in his Safehouses EP. With a nostalgia-heavy sound that takes in Burial, Dilla, techno and more, we can’t emphasise enough how good this guy is going to end up being, and we’re psyched to have him down.

Full listings are still being finalised, but here’s how things currently stand: